Season Preview From Jess RubensteinWhy the Rangers will finish 10th in the East...

John Tortorella

Realized I forgot to add this to my post the other day, so very sorry for the tardiness. Here's Jess Rubenstein's assessment of how the Rangers will do this season:

The first word that comes to mind is DISCIPLINE as the Rangers must play with it or no amount of talent will make any kind of difference. The Rangers were their own worst enemies last season killing off their own power plays by taking offensive zone penalties. Discipline means that Sean Avery has to play under control; Derek Boogaard can not just go out and fight anyone and the rest of the team needs to think before reacting.

The second word is OPPORTUNITY as when you have them then take full advantage of them. When you have a team on the ropes then finish them off; how many times did the Rangers let someone off the hook when they were on the brink of folding? Then answer is too many. Opportunity is when you have a 5 on 3 you score as again the Rangers need to take advantage of those opportunities.

The third word is CONSISTENCY as the Rangers need just that to be consistent on a nightly basis. Nothing was more frustrating to watch than the Rangers follow up a great win with a bad loss. Put consistent efforts together and those fans sitting in the Garden will be cheering instead of booing.

The last word is ACCOUNTABILITY as the Rangers need to hold themselves accountable not only to the fans but to each other. No more waiting for the other guy to step up and take charge; do it yourself. When the team needs someone to make a play do it yourself as nothing was more frustrating than watching the Rangers stare at each other as if to say “You do it” to each other.

Follow all 4 words and the Rangers have a chance. The biggest problem for the Rangers is the person behind the bench as John Tortorella needs to show faith in his team by letting lines have chances to develop chemistry. Tortorella needs to show confidence in his roster and use it to the best of their skills meaning use his players where their strengths are best and their weaknesses protected.

The Rangers have tried to once again purchase chemistry; a tactic that just not worked and quite honestly never will. Change is being forced upon the Rangers because of the salary cap and another season without the playoffs will force even more changes. Sather needs an excuse to clear salary for 2011-2012 so even he needs the Rangers to play poorly so he can have an excuse to hold a fire sale.